


Welcome Home

by featheredschist



Series: A Werewolf Among Us [2]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, No one is harmed, Noodle Dragons, more exposition, near bite incident
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-07
Updated: 2019-02-07
Packaged: 2019-10-24 04:36:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17697764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/featheredschist/pseuds/featheredschist
Summary: Jesse is welcomed back to the bosom of Overwatch.





	Welcome Home

**Author's Note:**

> Italics - mental speech between the spirit dragons and their partners
> 
> This one-shot picks up almost immediately after the first one. Sorry for the delay.

Jesse looked up at Genji, feeling a deep sense of deja vu. It had been more than ten years since they’d last been on a mission together. Jesse shook his large head, moving off Genji’s lap so they could head back to the Watchpoint.

“Show me where your stuff is, hm?” Genji asked again, pressing his faceplate back into place against the chin guard and temple connections.

Jesse let his jaw fall open in a grin and padded to one side of the dark clearing. The trio of dragons floated after him, chirping excitedly at the prospect of more play.

Genji got to his feet and stretched before settling his sweatpants back in place. He turned to look at his brother still standing near the tree. “Are you coming with us, or heading in now?”, he asked.

The question snapped Hanzo out of his head, “What? Oh, I’d better come along to keep them out of trouble.”

“Ramen has been endlessly fascinated with McCree, so I don’t doubt it will be the same for Soba and Udon,” Genji admitted.

“Why?”

“She never told me in so many words,” Genji explained, “Just that it was nice to confirm other myths existed.” He shrugged, his words inadequate. “And he plays with her when she becomes bored with me.” Hanzo snorted. Ramen was the one who used to prod Genji into some of his more outrageous stunts as a child.

Jesse reached the trees and paused to look back, appearing impatient. The trio of dragons winding around him and urging their partners along. The men could hear their dragons insisting on helping the wolf with their new game.

“We’re coming, silly wolf!”, Genji called, moving forward. “Can you see all right brother?”, he asked, directing his words in a quick fashion to Hanzo.

“The moon is sufficient. Let’s go before it gets much later.”

“And colder,” Genji added, slipping into the trees behind the wolf and dragons.

“Hm,” Hanzo murmured, following.

It took ten minutes to reach the spot where Jesse had stashed his belongings. Genji chortled at what he saw when Jesse stopped beside a tangle of green growth heaped around a couple of slender aspens.

“Really you overgrown fur ball? Blackberry brambles? You masochist.”

Jesse woofed, amused. Ramen chirruped along with him in her approximation of laughter.

Genji fussed to simply make noise. He’d not be hurt by the thorny mess anymore than Jesse.

“Surely he will retrieve his own things?”, Hanzo asked.

“He should,” Genji replied, trying for stern. 

Ramen told Genji, _”We’ll do it.”_

Jesse just look at the men and woofed again, tongue hanging. Ramen, Genji’s spirit dragon, chirped at the other two in a demanding fashion, pointedly looking at the brambles protecting Jesse’s possessions. Jesse moved to eel his way through the thorny thicket, but was stopped when Udon snug itself around Jesse’s body, halting him in place. 

Ramen floated directly in front of Jesse’s nose and sent her thought speech to him, _“Stay here, Jesse-kun. No need to shed fur when we can do for you.”_

Jesse blinked and thought back, _”As you please, Ramen-san.”_

Soba and Ramen moved through the thicket in his place, easily finding the wrapped bundle Jesse had hidden there two days earlier. More soft woofing sounds and Jesse nosed under Udon’s whiskered chin, then licked his face. Udon squeaked at Jesse’s temerity, but didn’t lash out as Hanzo feared it might. Udon was very proper about its appearance, often fussing over the condition of its horns and grumbling to Hanzo.

There was a lightning quick exchange amongst the dragons that the brothers ignored as it didn’t seem to be about them. The other two spirits easily brought the bundle over the blackberry bushes, making Jesse bark and dance in place to show how pleased he was.

 _”Thank you Ramen-san!”_ , he sang to the green spirit.

“Well, at least he’s in a good mood,” Genji murmured, watching. 

Soba and Ramen cooperated to maneuver the bundle back to drop at Genji’s feet. Udon uncoiled from Jesse and joined the other two in inspecting what they brought to Genji and Hanzo.

“Is he often not?”, Hanzo wondered, piecing together an impression of this person.

“Eh, depends really, though his triggers might have changed in the last decade,” Genji acknowledged, bending to sit seiza. “Jesse, light.”

Jesse barked a sharp note, and both he and Hanzo closed their eyes just as Genji flicked on a light source from somewhere on his upper body.

“All right,” Genji said, bathed in the shallow, but bright, blueish light. “Your usual supplies and gear?” The question seemed rhetorical, but Jesse answered with a nod as he came over into the pool of light.

Hanzo got his first look at the beast that was Jesse McCree. The wolf was darkly colored, an overall brown-gray with darker shading across his shoulders, back, and tail. It reminded Hanzo of German shepherds. As Jesse blinked into the wash of blue-white light, Hanzo saw that his eyes were a dark gold color, shading almost to brown or bronze. He wondered whether Jesse’s eyes stayed the same as a human.

Jesse settled to the forest floor in front of Genji, and extended his front paws out as if to gather his things back. The light glinted off something metallic on the wolf’s left front leg, catching Hanzo’s attention.

“Nani?”, he muttered aloud, staring at the legs of the animal.

Genji’s eyes flicked over to his brother, then back to Jesse. “Oh that,” he said, voice quiet. “Jesse, your leg?”, he directed at the wolf.

Jesse flexed the toes of the odd leg, each one independent from the other. It was metal, and obviously fake or armor. The stylization of fur spiraled up the limb from the ‘wrist’.

“Ah, this must be your upgraded prosthetic! I remember you discussing its design with Torbjörn,” Genji said.

Jesse nodded, long snout bobbing with the motion.

“It looks very natural.” Jesse wolf-grinned again. “He’s had that for years now, I guess. Torb will be mighty impressed it’s still his design,” Genji said before focusing on the bundle again. He pulled it closer and the light revealed that it was fabric of red and gold. He found the knot and undid it to spread the cloth open across the grass and his knees.

Jesse lay down on the opposite side of the pool of light, intently watching Genji’s every move.

Hanzo chose to sit next to his brother, curious about the possessions of a werewolf cowboy.

 

On top of the bundle was a large brimmed, tan colored cowboy hat. The hat band was a paler color, and held the Overwatch emblem in the middle, with bullet casings surrounding. Genji picked up the hat and reached forward to plop it on the wolf’s head. It bent the triangular ears, but Jesse wore it proudly until Ramen knocked it off and then curled herself up in the top. Jesse stuck his nose in her coils and huffed, breathing a puff of warm air over the silly dragon.

“Ramen!”, Genji laughed at her antics.

 _”My hat”_ Ramen said to Jesse.

 _”Yes ma’am”_ , Jesse replied with a mental laugh.

Hanzo’s curiosity got worse. Genji had mentioned they were long time friends. Had there been more? The thought of Genji having recovered enough to have a relationship both cheered and humbled Hanzo. He was very glad his little brother hadn’t died that night, but the pang of loss of the intervening time was often enough to double him over in grief in unsuspecting moments. He hoped that this Jesse McCree was a gentle and considerate partner for whatever Genji needed.

He brought his attention back to the outside world when Soba and Udon wrapped themselves around his shoulders, sensing the mental distress of their master. “We are here,” he heard their twin voices roll through his head. He gave both some attention while watching Genji checking over the wolf’s belongings.

Under the hat was a pile of neatly folded clothes and a leather garment that made Hanzo choke on air.

“Brother?”, Genji asked, refolding the chaps, tucking the buckles and straps in as he went.

“Nothing Genji, just a spasm.” Hanzo refused to acknowledge that his first thought about the chaps were of the kind worn in leather clubs*. Genji had said this man was a cowboy, so chaps weren’t unusual for that costume. Why the man would wear them if he wasn’t riding horses escaped Hanzo’s knowledge.

Wrapped around a pair of well worn, leather boots complete with spurs, was a heavily decorated leather gun belt, holster and plain, black belt. It appeared to Hanzo as if the gun belt had horses running across it, while the holster itself seemed to bear a likeness of the wolf in front of him. The leather shone in the light, apparently well cared for, and very dear to the owner. The holster held a large revolver, with a wooden grip and a spur embedded into one corner of that grip. Jesse whined a little when Genji picked up the belt.

“It’s okay, cowboy, I’m not going to hurt Peacekeeper. Just making sure everything is as it should be,” Genji explained, not even touching the gun. “I’ve accidentally shot him with his own gun, so I’m not allowed to handle it anymore.” With his faceplate back in place, Hanzo could only assume the shit eating grin on his face.

Jesse whined again, anxious, and inched forward with his front paws.

“All right, be paranoid! It’s unloaded, you daft beast.” Genji left the belt and holster in place around the boots and gathered the rest back into the folds of material. “That everything?”, Genji asked.

Jesse boofed, nodding.

“Good,” Genji knotted the whole up again, and clicked off the flashlight. “Let’s get back to base, hm? Ramen?” Genji looked at his dragon loosely curled in the wolf’s neck fur. Ramen looked up and sleepily chirped, sending thoughts of warmth and contentment to Genji. “Lazy bones!”, he laughed. Ramen huffed, then tucked her snout back into Jesse’s fur. “Fine, ride with the dog, if he’ll have you.”

Jesse slowly heaved himself to his feet, not once disturbing the three dragons draped on him. Soba and Udon whined at the movement.

 _“Master, stay?”_ , they sent to Hanzo, who shrugged.

“Do what you will, if McCree-san is amenable,” he says out loud. They settled back, happy that Hanzo was giving them this.

 

The walk to the hidden entrance to the Watchpoint was made in comfortable silence, the wolf bracketed by the brothers. In just a short time, they were at the small hut that masqueraded on three sides as a boulder. Genji was the first to go through the security screening. Each pedestrian entrance to a Watchpoint was studded with several forms of security locks, owing to the diverse nature of the agents stationed there. Without fingerprints, Genji used the retinal scan and voice print identifier, speaking a short Japanese phrase that made Hanzo snort a small laugh.

Hanzo had all three to get through. And Jesse? Hanzo watched, awed, that a separate set of scanners dropped low enough for the wolf to use. One took a nose print*, and the other scanner played a blue laser over the prosthetic leg to log its identifying features.

“Unusual process,” Hanzo murmured. He wondered if the dragons would go through something similar, if they were more corporeal.

“Yeah, Overwatch had to add the extra measures after we joined. Jack Morrison thought the nose print was ridiculous. The arm scan was the last thing before,” Genji stopped after that. His conversation with Jesse via communicator after the Recall signal went out told him Geneva was still a sore spot for the cowboy.

Jesse gave a slight growl in response.

“I see,” Hanzo replied.

Security measures responded to, the door leading into the Watchpoint finally slid open, permitting them entry. The elevator down to the living areas was just a few short yards away, and the carriage door slid open as the trio approached. The ride down was made in silence.

 

At one point, Watchpoint Gibraltar teemed with people, agents, support crew, scientists. These days, many spaces lay empty, testament to the prime of Overwatch and its downfall. The returning members had largely taken back better quarters for their own, knowing the extra amenities were a nice benefit. Some didn’t bother. The rooms for officers were large and comfortable, but impersonal after all this time. There were barracks, but no one used them now. Most of the team clustered around the operational recreation rooms, kitchen, and gym. The practice ranges for their weapons were in a different wing of the base.

The six beings traversed the base from the reserve elevator to the rec hall where the team relaxed for movie and game nights.

The three dragons retreated to their respective hosts before the ambulatory walked through the door.

“Genji!”, cried a voice as the cyborg pushed open the door. “Did you find your brother?”, as Jesse walked in. Tracer blinked from her spot on the couch, video game controller dropping to the coffee table. “Jesse!”, she squealed in happiness, down on her knees to hug the stuffing out of the wolf. Jesse snuggled into the embrace, nose tucked under one of the girl’s arms. “Look who’s finally back!”, she called out to the rest of the room unnecessarily.

Reinhardt came forward, quickly depositing a tray of drinks on a nearby table. Jesse removed himself from Tracer’s embrace and reared up on his hind legs to greet the giant German. Reinhardt roughly scratched the ruff around Jesse’s neck and down the muttonchop furred jowls. “It is good to see you again, even all furry!”, he crowed as he reached his fingers through the thick, soft fur. Jesse woofed, reached up, and swiped his tongue up Reinhardt’s cheek. The big man laughed, scrunching Jesse’s jowls in his glee.

Hanzo had entered unnoticed, it gave him a chance to watch the others welcome a old friend back into the fold.

Jesse approached each person on the team differently. Reinhardt’s welcome was the most physical. It seemed that Jesse greeted everyone based on how well they handled him in this form.

Tracer got an overexcited puppy. Angela fussed over him, and his health, to which he whined at each reproach.

Tiny Mei got a gentle lick across one hand, prompting a laugh as she petted his head and scratched his shoulders.

McCree played around Fareeha, much like sibling wolves would, but still very puppy-ish.

It was while being introduced to the new members that there was almost calamity. As Genji brought each new member to Jesse, Torbjörn joined the group and spotted Jesse in the middle of a half circle of people.

Torb walked up behind the wolf, and reached for the front left leg.

Jesse either sensed or saw the danger, and whipped his head around, fangs bared to the perceived threat. By the time he registered it was a friend, Jesse had a tight grip on Torb’s own metal arm with his teeth.

“Yer fine, boy. S’why I used m’claw,” Torb growled, his Swedish accent thick. Jesse still whined and ducked his head after letting go. He was not used to being around people so much in this form as he had been.

“Wow,” Hana breathed, eyes wide. She’d been closest to the event and had been reaching out a tentative hand to pet Jesse. Her hand was nearly in the path of his teeth. She hugged herself, trying to stamp down on a rising bout of hysteria.

Jesse whined again, head dipping even lower, seeing her reaction.

“My apologies, Ms Song. I did not mean to cause you distress,” Torbjörn said to the young woman.

She looked at Torb and gave him a faint smile. “It’s okay.” She bravely leaned over to Jesse and scratched the top of his head. Jesse froze still, barely breathing, to make sure she didn’t take fright again.

“Mr McCree didn’t mean it either, did you?”, she cooed, her voice without waver.

Jesse slowly raised his head under her hand, pressing with vigor to the scratches. He allowed his tongue to loll out, hoping to increase his normally easy going nature.

“McCree, when you take on two legs and speech, bring me your arm, hm?”, Torb demanded before stomping off into the kitchen to find himself dinner.

After that incident, Jesse was quietly introduced to Lúcio, and Zenyatta, and reintroduced to a now grown up Brigitte, Torb’s daughter.

The team then settled back down to finish watching Tracer and Hana competing in a video game.

Angela leaned over from the couch to ask Jesse, who settled between it and the coffee table, “Have you eaten today?” 

Jesse shook his head as best he could, a brief nod to the left and right to signify he hadn’t. Being on the reserve meant no hunting. She scoffed and rose to head into the kitchen.

Genji, still standing, stopped her, “I’ll do it, Angela. C’mon fuzzball, you’ll gross the ladies out with your manners.”

Jesse growled a little but got up and left with him. Hanzo tagged along, not interested in the thorough trouncing Hana was delivering to Lena.

 

Once in the empty kitchen, Genji approached the fridge asking, “You still like cold cuts? Don’t think there’s any leftover pork from dinner now that Torb has come out of his shop.”

Jesse barked, careful to not be too loud as to echo in the empty room.

“Can he not change back into his human skin?”, Hanzo asked his brother who was rooting around in the fridge for the communal cold cuts.

“Well, his clothes are in the other room for one thing, and he tends to inspect a place’s interior when he’s going to stay in more than a few days. Used to do this on long assignments in Blackwatch. Drove the Commander and O’Deorain nuts. She hated the fur he shed,” Genji found an unopened pack of sliced turkey and a block of mild, yellow cheese. “How’s this?”, he showed his spoils to Jesse, who nodded his head up and down. Genji closed the fridge and took the food to a prep station where he pulled out a knife, cutting board, and wide bowl. He chopped everything into small chunks that Jesse would be able to eat with ease, and set the half full bowl on the floor.

“Come, Jesse hates being stared at when he eats in this form,” Genji said, taking the tools he’d used to the sink to clean them. Hanzo took the advice and cleaned up the remaining detritus on the counter, as Jesse shoved his face into the bowl to eat.

Genji finished his cleaning, and grabbed another bowl for some water to leave for the wolf. “I’ll put your stuff in your old room, all right?” Genji said, getting a brief tail wag in response. Genji beckoned Hanzo to follow him back to the rec room to gather up Jesse’s bundle of belongings.

**Author's Note:**

> Awkward ending is awkward, sorry. And accented names! FIXED! (Don’t worry about it)
> 
> * - chaps is chaps, folks. They are, by make, always assless. Calling them ‘assless chaps’, just seems to me, to separate them from ‘standard’ and what you are using them for.
> 
> * - nose prints are distinctive between dogs; cats too!


End file.
